Resurgence
by blue-eyegirl18
Summary: When a 12 year old Sakura starts to suddenly have visions of events that start happening in real life, she doesn't know who she can turn to or who she can trust. How could she, a girl who is more concerned with her looks and boys, stop a war? How could she become the hero that her friends need?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is my new story and I hope you will like it. The standard disclaimer applies, I own nothing but the plot. The characters and whatnot go to their original creator**  
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Sakura ran as fast as her exhausted legs could take her across the barren wasteland. She had to get there and she had to do it now. Sasuke had to be stopped before he cause irreparable damage to his chances of being pardoned or at least avoiding banishment or death. Her heart beat rapidly as she jumped over a jagged crater in the ground. Sasuke and Naruto had gone of to the Valley of the End after Sasuke had announced that he would become Hokage and reshape the Shinobi World.

He wanted to become it's dictator and rule over the five nations.

Naruto was convinced that he could change Sasuke's mind and transform him back into the Sasuke they both knew as children, but Sakura feared that it might be too late for that. She prayed to whatever God was out there that she was wrong. This war had taken too much from them already. Ino and Shikamaru had lost their fathers and Kakashi lost Obito for a second time. What really hit them hard though was Neji's death. Sakura knows that his death hit Naruto and Hinata the hardest out of all of them. Tears blurred her vision as she remembered the devastated look on her adopted brother's face.

She never wanted him to look like that again.

If he lost Sasuke, Sakura was certain he'd never recover. He'd never smile again, never laugh. He'd never be able to trust himself again.

In the distance she could hear loud booms and could feel the shock waves of two very powerful attacks colliding. She was too late and they were already fighting and it would be a while before she would be able to get to them. Another shock wave hit, making Sakura stumble to the ground face first. This one was stronger than the last one. Sakura started panicking at the jutsus they were using, at this rate they'd kill each other. No, she thought with determination, that wouldn't happen. Not when she could stop it. Sakura picked herself up and raced towards her boys faster than she thought she'd be capable of in her condition. She reached the edge of the Valley just in time to see Sasuke's hand go through Naruto's chest, his eyes blank and unfeeling. Shock was visible on in Naruto's blue eyes as his head slowly looked down at the hand in his chest and blood spouted from his mouth. Sakura's heart stopped as Sasuke pulled his hand out and Naruto fell to the ground, cold and unmoving.

"NOOOOOO!" The scream tore from her throat before she could stop it. Sasuke's head turned in her direction as Sakura stumbled over to them. Kneeing beside Naruto's body with her hands glowing a soft green, Sakura desperately tried to heal him.

"No no no no, come on Naruto you can't die. Not here, not like this. You have to LIVE!" Sakura didn't realize she was crying until her tears dropped onto her hands. she looked at his face only to find that his eyes remain wide and unseeing.

He was really dead. The boy that she'd come to see as a brother was really gone. Sakura felt as if someone had replaced all the blood in her body with ice. She felt cold all over and couldn't stop shaking, even when a warm hand covered in blood wrapped around hers.

"Sakura that's enough. He's already gone."

Sakura's eyes slowly lifted to look Sasuke in the eyes. Those black pools that held no remorse for the act he had just committed, nor the compassion for how it made her feel.

They were hard as stone.

"Why Sasuke? How could you?" She whispered in a broken voice. Sasuke just scoffed at her.

"He was in the way of my goal. It was nothing personal."

The way he said it was so unemotional and detached that Sakura felt something inside of her snap. He was a monster and couldn't be allowed to live anymore. Any thoughts she might have harbored of saving him vanished along with any trace of the love she once had for him. She gathered medical chakra into her hands, making them deadly blades that could easily cut through flesh and bone. With a battle cry she launched herself at Sasuke with every ounce of pain and anger that she had in her as she aimed for his still beating heart. The only thing that saved the man that she wanted to cut down was his fast reflexes, otherwise her small hand would have impaled him.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the woman as he tried his best to dodge her crazed strikes.

"Sakura do you honestly think that you could beat me? Even Naruto couldn't and he wasn't as weak as you."

At the mention of the blonde, Sakura's green eyes blazed as if his words set her on fire.

"How dare you speak his name?! He trusted you! He considered you to be the brother he never had! He held nothing but love for you and you killed him like none of that meant anything to you!"

Sasuke saw his opening the moment she moved her right arm up to strike him and in that split second he sent a chidori filled fist straight through her chest cavity. He flexed his fingers that poked out of her back for a moment before withdrawing his hand. Sakura coughed up blood as she fell to her knees in front of him.

"I told you Sakura. You were fighting a losing battle. If you wanted to throw your life away that badly all you had to do was ask."

Sakura grimaced at his superior tone but then she started to laugh, which turned into a wet cough. Sasuke was confused she was obviously dying, so what was she laughing about?

"You think so Sasuke? I think I won." And with that she brought her chakra scalpels up and into his chest, severing his ascending aorta. Sasuke looked stunned before dropping to the ground lifelessly.

"I hope you enjoy hell Sasuke." She whispered as she fell on the ground beside him, finding it harder and harder to draw in a breath. Even though this was the end, Sakura couldn't help but find the irony in the situation. Killed by the very person she had loved the most in the world.

Sounds like something that would happen in some trashy romance novel.

If she could go back, there were a lot of things she would have done differently.

If only...

Sakura's eyes snapped open as a thought came to her. Some time ago she and Ino were working on a jutsu that could transfer the mind to a different time. Maybe...

Sakura was no Yamanaka, but maybe she could pull it off. It's not like she had anything to lose right? What was it going to do, kill her?

She made the hand signs and felt the darkness closing in around her vision.

Hopefully this would be the second chance the world needed.

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 **That's chapter 1! please leave a review and let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright people, here is chapter 2. hope you enjoy it!**

 _Thoughts_

Talking

 _ **Future Events**_

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"Sakura! Are you up? You're going to be late!"

Sakura Haruno checked her outfit one last time in the mirror, liking how the red dress she picked out hugged her slim waist and hung to her knees. When she heard her mother yelling up at her the pink haired preteen couldn't help but get annoyed.

"I know mother. I'll be right down!" She shouted back.

 _Why do you always treat me like a little kid?! I'm a ninja now!_

Sakura ran down the stairs and was greeted by her parents in the kitchen. Her mother Mebuki was at the stove cooking breakfast in her white apron with red edging and her father Kizashi was sitting at the table reading the morning newspaper. Sakura came rushing down the stairs in a hurry, ignoring the good morning from her parents as she put on her shoes by the door.

"Sakura, what about breakfast?" Mebuki asked with a hand on her hip as she looked down her nose at her only child.

Sakura sighed as she readjusted her forehead protector that she used as a headband to keep her long pink hair back.

"Mom I told you, I'm on a diet." She huffed as she went out the door and on her way to the academy.

Mebuki sighed shaking her head in equal parts exasperation and amusement.

"That child..."

Sakura strolled down the street lined with shops, her eyes focused on the ground as she contemplated the days events.

 _I'm not an academy student anymore. I'm Sakura Haruno. Kunoichi in training!_

"I'm going now."

Sakura looked up in time to see a blonde haired girl exit the Yamanaka Flower shop dressed in bandages and purple top/skirt combo. As always her fashion sense was impeccable, but no Sakura wouldn't lose to her.

Ino Yamanaka will be the one to lose this time.

The two stared at each other for a few moments before Ino gave a challenging smirk.

"Good morning Sakura."

Sakura narrowed her eyes before giving a smile of her own. After all, two can play at this game.

"Good morning Ino."

Both girls started towards the Academy, walking side by side. Sakura was a bit tense seeing as how her rival was right next to her.

"So they actually let you graduate? that's a surprise." Ino jabbed giving the girl next to her a side long glance.

Sakura's left eyebrow twitched and both eyes closed in irritation.

"Those classes are ancient history. We're both ninja now and we're both equal."

She opened her green eyes to glare fiercely at Ino.

"I won't lose to you anymore." Sakura declared as she sped up her pace to walk in front of Ino. Said girl looked a bit shocked but matched her pace to Sakura's and it turned into a race to the Academy. They made it to the door of the classroom and both tried to force their way in at the same time. When they both popped out of the doorway Sakura pushed at Ino's face with her left hand and Ino pushed Sakura with her right.

"I'm first!" They both yelled simultaneously as they tried to catch their breath.

Ino gave a smug look to her right.

"I win again, Sakura."

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right. I had to look back to see you! I was at least a tenth of and inch ahead."

Ino's face scrunched up in a grimace.

"Have you always been so delusional?" She asked.

Sakura decided to ignore this as someone else caught her eye. There was no mistaking that posture or that hair. It was him, her reason for doing all of this. Her heart started racing as she ran towards where he sat pushing Naruto out of the way in the process.

"Uh, good morning Sasuke." She said shyly with a smile.

A pair of eyes that were black as night turned to give her an uninterested look. Sakura tilted her head to the left, trying to seem cute and innocent as he looked at her.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" She simpered.

Suddenly she felt a hand enclose around her upper left arm and pull a bit.

"Hold on Forehead. I'm sitting next to Sasuke."

Sakura felt her irritation rise as she glared over at Ino, who still had a grasp on her arm.

"I was here first." She hissed through her teeth.

Ino glared harder as if to burn holes into Sakura's skull.

"I walked into the classroom before you did! Everybody saw it."

Sakura snorted.

"Dream on."

At this point other girls in the class began to gather around them, trying get the seat next to Sasuke. Said boy just looked away as the girls argued thinking how clueless they were. Sakura clenched her fists at her side, thinking about how stupid all these girls were. if they wanted to sit next to him then they should have taken the seat already. Sakura asked first and therefore the seat rightfully belonged to her, damn it! Sakura looked over at Sasuke in time to see the idiot Naruto crouching on his desk glaring at him. Sakura felt her control beginning to snap.

"Naruto! Stop glaring at Sasuke!" She bellowed at the blonde.

Was he even supposed to be here? Didn't he fail? He was so annoying! Everything about him just grated on Sakura's nerves. How dare he even look at her precious Sasuke? He was his better in every single way! She was yelling at Naruto with every other girl in the room when it happened. Some guy leaned back, bumping into Naruto and sending him crashing into Sasuke. Both of their eyes widened in absolute horror as their lips locked together. Sakura stood there stunned for a moment. Sasuke was...kissing Naruto. It wasn't true right? Was this some sort of genjutsu? She made the hand sign to dispel any genjutsu if there were any but nothing changed. Sakura could feel her blood boil and cracked her knuckles as they broke apart sputtering and choking.

 _I was supposed to be Sasuke's first kiss!_

"Naruto, you are so dead." Sakura said causing the blonde to pale in terror. His hand came up in a placating gesture and his eyes darted around like cornered prey.

"Hey hold on it was an accident!" He tried to plead, but it fell of deaf ear as the girls had already decided that he was beyond guilty.

"You are finished." She growled as she and the others got closer to their target.

All that could be heard was a cry of pain as they pounced on the poor kid.

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Sakura sat in her seat happily, sneaking glances to her left every few seconds. She honestly couldn't help it! Sasuke was just so cool and handsome and she was sitting right next to him! Now if only she was placed on the same team as him, then her life would be perfect!

"I wonder who's going to be in Sasuke's group?"

Sakura looked behind her at Ino, who was looking at her with a superior sneer. Obviously she thought she was the best choice for his team.

"I don't know." Sakura was trying to sound casual and cool, but on the inside she was raging.

 _I'm going to be with Sasuke, so stay away from him you hag!_

"We want each squad to have a balance in strength and ability so that's how we decide where to place you." Iruka-sensei was explaining. Sakura quit paying attention until she heard Naruto's name.

"Squad 7 will be Naruto Uzumaki."

Sakura prayed to every God she knew that she wasn't placed on the same team as that idiot.

"Sakura Haruno."

The pink haired girl deflated in despair while Naruto jumped for joy. Nothing in the world could ever make this situation better.

"And Sasuke Uchiha."

Now it was Sakura's turn to jump up in joy and for Naruto to deflate. Yes! She was on the same team as Sasuke! True love really does conquer all!

Sakura turned in her seat to give Ino the victory sign and a smug look. Ino was pissed and glared at Sakura as if that could change anything. Sakura was so happy about her placement that she tuned out everything else around her. Could life get any better than this?

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Sitting in an empty chair in the classroom waiting for their Jonin Sensei, Sakura found herself deep in thought. During lunch Sasuke had called her annoying and told her that she was worse than Naruto. That was the worst feeling she had ever had. Her heart felt tight and tears pricked the back of her eyes. It was pretty cruel of him to say that to her, but then again she was being cruel to Naruto as well. Maybe she should make an effort to get to know him better now that they are on the same squad and all.

 _ **She was walking through a crowd of people, both civilian and ninja. He was here, she just knew it and when she found him he was going to get a taste of her fist for being a reckless idiot and making her worry. Right up ahead of her was a blonde teen smiling tiredly at some children, but looked up at her as she stepped up to him. His smile widened despite his obvious exhaustion, making tears burn in her eyes.**_

 _ **"Sakura." He said with the affection one could only have after knowing someone for years.**_

 _ **"You reckless idiot." Sakura growled as she nailed him with her fist on the top of his blonde head, making him fall forward with a yelp.**_

 _ **Sakura caught him in her arms and hugged him gently as to not aggravate his wounds.**_

 _ **"Thank you." she whispered into his neck and the feeling behind it was staggering in that there was so much relief and affection there.**_

Sakura jolted back to the classroom. What was that? It felt so real and yet it was like a dream. The face of the blonde man entered her mind once again and Sakura was even more confused. It was Naruto, but it wasn't. This guy was older and had obviously been in a battle. What was the meaning of this?

Sakura shook her head. Her imagination was probably trying to run away with her again. Sakura looked over at her teammate placing an eraser in the sliding door.

 _Besides, that idiot could never look that cool._

Naruto snickered at his ingenious prank and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"He's not going to fall for that Naruto. Stop being so childish."

He turned his blue eyes to her and gave the same toothy grin from the vision.

"Serves him right for being 3 hours late."

Sasuke just sat there with his hands folded in front of his mouth, as silent as ever.

Suddenly the door slid open and the eraser fell onto a head of grey hair.

Sakura stilled as she looked at him not knowing what to do as she took in his mask and the headband that covered his left eye.

She had seen him in that vision she had earlier. He was standing behind Naruto like some proud uncle as the crowd cheered for him. Sakura had never seen this man in her life so how had she had a vision about him? Sakura's breathing sped up as she started to panic. This was all too weird and Sakura didn't like weird. She like predictable.

Normal.

Her vision started to waver like something was interfering with it.

 _ **She was crying on a rooftop. Naruto and Sasuke had left but she was still shaken by what had happened. Why would they try to kill each other? Why couldn't they just accept each other? Why did they always leave her out?**_

 _ **A gloved hand landed on top of her head and made Sakura look up through tear filled eyes at her Sensei. He gave her a one eyed smile as he patted her head in an attempt to calm her down.**_

 _ **"They will be fine Sakura. Everything will go back to normal soon okay?"**_

 _ **Sakura desperately wanted to believe him, but would it really happen? Naruto and Sasuke had just tried to seriously hurt each other. You can't just bounce back from that. Not wanting to trouble Kakashi-sensei with her troubled thoughts, she nodded and wiped her tears away.**_

"My first impression of you is...you're idiots."

Sakura jolted at the sound of the man's- no Kakashi-sensei's- voice. It was the exact same as the vision.

"Meet me on the roof for introductions." With that he poofed away in a cloud of grey smoke, leaving the three of them to find their way there on their own.

As she walked, Sakura tried to make sense of what was happening to her, but she was coming up empty. There was no possible way to explain what she was seeing. Maybe she was going insane?

Sakura sighed as she walked on to the roof top and sat down next to Sasuke.

"Okay so why don't you introduce yourselves."

Sakura looked at him with an appraising eye. Judging by his posture and the tone of his voice, this man couldn't care less about what they had to say.

"What do we say?" Sakura decided it was best to continue even if that was the case.

"Things you like, things you hate, dreams for the future, hobbies. Things like that." He answered with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

Naruto leaned forward, his eyes never leaving their sensei.

"Why don't you go first? That way we know how it's done."

"Me? I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like, things I hate? I honestly don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future...I haven't really thought about it. As for my hobbies, well I have lots of hobbies."

Sakura fought the urge to put her face in her hands as she looked at Naruto and Sasuke with an unamused frown.

"That was useless. All he really did was tell us his name."

Naruto nodded along with what she was saying.

"Okay. Now it's your turn. You on the right, you go first." Kakashi said looking over at Naruto. The blonde sat up straighter and started messing with his headband that lay across his forehead. Naruto grinned at being picked to go before Sasuke.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, believe it! I like instant ramen in a cup and I really like the ramen Iruka-sensei got for me at the Ichiraku Noodle Shop. I hate the three minutes you have to wait after you pour the hot water into the ramen cup. My hobbies are eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them. My future dream is...to be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and treat me like I'm somebody, somebody important."

Sakura looked at the boy she had been classmates with for years and realized that while he may be a royal pain, that isn't all there is to him. Kakashi look less than impressed as he shifted his gaze onto Sakura herself.

"Alright. Next."

Sakura shook her head and put on her brightest smile.

"I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like-uh I mean the person I like is.." She shyly glanced in Sasuke's direction with a blush staining her cheeks, "uh my hobby is uh.." She glanced once again at the brooding boy next to her, "my dream for the future is-" Sakura squealed at the thought of becoming Mrs. Sasuke Uchiha.

Kakashi sighed as if contemplating throwing himself off the roof.

"And? What do you hate?" He asked.

Sakura's knee jerk reaction was to say Naruto and so she did, but did she really hate him?

"last one." Kakashi sighed. This was turning out to be such a headache.

"My name, is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things and I don't particularly like anything."

Sakura stopped smiling and just stared at the boy next to her. How could he not like anything? Everyone has at least one thing that they like!

"What I have is not a dream because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan and kill a certain...someone." The air around him went frigid, making Sakura move away unconsciously. Everything about him was so intense right now that Sakura found herself shivering in fear of her teammate and then her vision started to waver again. Sakura held her breath, trying to prepare for whatever scene she was about to stumble into.

 _ **Two men were facing off in what looked like a battle to the death. One had short black hair that sort of stuck up in the back-wait that was Sasuke?! he looked older, but much more harsh somehow as he wielded a sword deftly in his hands. His opponent was older than he was by a few years, but something in the way he held himself made him seem decades older. His long black hair was tied neatly at the base of his neck despite the battle that was raging and he had high cheek bone paired with an aristocratic nose, but it was his eyes that drew her in the most.**_

 _ **They were red with what looked like a black pinwheel at the center.**_

 _ **Sakura had never seen eyes like those before and the more she stared at the them the more she saw in their depths. This man didn't want to be fighting Sasuke. There was an infinite sadness that was there as his eyes followed Sasuke's attacks. What could have caused him to feel such sadness? Who was he even?**_

Kakashi clapped his hands together, bringing Sakura back to the roof top.

"Okay then, you each are unique and have your own personalities. We will have our first mission tomorrow."

Naruto bounced in his seat barely able to contain his excitement at having a mission.

"What kind of mission is it?"

Kakashi crossed his arms and gave them a hard stare.

"It's an exercise we will be completing together."

Sakura gave the silver haired man a skeptical look.

"What kind of exercise will it be?" She asked cautiously.

"A survival exercise." Kakashi gave an unhinged chuckle that sent a tremor down Sakura's spine. Whatever they were going to be doing, Sakura could tell that it was going to be awful.

"Meet at training ground 7 at 6 am tomorrow morning. Oh and I wouldn't eat breakfast if I were you." Kakashi's eyes glowed with sadistic joy at their confused faces.

"Or else you'll puke." With those parting words, he was gone, leaving the three genin there alone.

Sasuke was the first to get up to leave and Sakura began to reach out her hand to hold on to him and ask if he wanted to grab something to eat with her, but the memory of his crazed eyes and twisted smile from her vision made her falter. Before she knew it he was gone and she was left staring at her shaking hand in confusion. Why was this happening to her? It's not like those daydreams held any truth or fact to them, so why was she reacting so badly?

"Hey Sakura! Want to go get Ichiraku's with me?" Naruto asked as he came up beside her with a wide grin.

It was a testament to how out of it Sakura was that she politely turned the blonde down and started making her way home. Maybe all she needed was a good nights sleep.

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 **Hey guys I'm loving all the reviews this is getting! Make sure to leave some more after you read this chapter okay?**


	3. Chapter 3

**So this story is getting some great feedback and I'm so excited about that! Please keep on reviewing and letting me know what you think.**

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 _ **Sakura found herself standing in the middle of a clearing with a small river to her left and a green forest to her right. There was a white haze lingering through the trees and on the surface of the water, making her feel slightly uneasy. Sakura turned slowly in a circle, her eyes taking in every detail of her surroundings, trying to figure out where she was. Considering the dense forest she was staring into, she was still around if not still in Konoha.**_

 _ **That was something at least.**_

 _ **There was no one else around and Sakura couldn't help but think that this was the weirdest dream she's ever had. Seriously, where was the shirtless Sasuke who asks her out on a date? Or Ino groveling at her feet, conceding her defeat? She huffed, placing her hands on her hips in frustration. Just what the hell was going on here? First those strange flashes of events and people, now this? It was beginning to get on her nerves.**_

 _ **The sound of footsteps made her turn towards the person who was walking her way. Judging from the outline of their body and the way they walked made Sakura think that they were male. The closer he got the clear his face became and Sakura could feel a giddy type of excitement when she could see that it was Sasuke. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets as he approached where she stood, looking pensive and hot. Sakura squealed in delight at the sight of him and raised her hand to greet him.**_

 _ **"Hey Sasuke-"**_

 _ **She stopped as he walked right through her to settle against the chain link fence around the forest. Sakura's mind blanked as she tried to process what had just happened. He had walked through her as if she weren't even there and he ignored her like he couldn't hear her talking to him.**_

 _ **"That's nothing new, though, is it."**_

 _ **Sakura spun around so fast she was sure she had given herself whiplash. Standing behind her was a woman who was standing with her arms crossed as she observed Sasuke in thought. Sakura rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times, but the woman was still there. She was petite and slim, but it was obvious that she was a ninja by the definition of her arms and legs. Her eyes that were a piercing shade of green, were shadowed and hard, as if they had see hell and conquered it. Above those eyes was a purple diamond tattoo and she thought that it was a rather odd place for it, but whatever. Her lips were cracked and Sakura was pretty sure there were quite a few cuts in there, but what caught her attention the most was her hair.**_

 _ **It was simply atrocious.**_

 _ **Not only was it short, but the ends were jagged as if crudely cut with a kunai. It was drier than Suna in the summertime too and there was dried blood mixed in the tangled strands causing them to stick to the side of her face. Then there was that odd pink hair color-**_

 _ **Sakura stopped dead in her inner monologue and just stared at the woman's hair. It was the exact same shade as hers...if it were washed properly and softened with the various hair care products that littered her bathroom. The woman scowled at her in irritation.**_

 _ **"I know your mother taught you that it's impolite to stare." She said as she stared the younger girl down until Sakura looked away with a frown.**_

 _ **"Who are you?" She asked cutting her eyes back to the woman in front of her, but it seemed as if she wasn't paying attention to her at all.**_

 _ **"I had forgotten how small he used to be." She whispered with a far away look in her eyes that Sakura absolutely did not like. Who did she think she was looking at HER Sasuke like that?! Even if this was only a dream, it was the principle of it.**_

 _ **"Quit staring at him like that. You are way too old for him, what are you like 30?" Sakura crossed her arms as the woman turned to face her again, her brow twitching in anger and green eyes narrowing dangerously.**_

 _ **"30?! I'M 17 YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE KNAT!" She screeched as her fist struck Sakura in the stomach, sending her flying into a tree a couple of meters away from where she was standing. Sakura was too stunned to move as she just stared at the older woman, her back lighting up in pain making it difficult to breathe normally.**_

 ** _Pain?_**

 ** _This was a dream and you didn't feel pain in dreams._**

 ** _Sakura started to panic a little before shaking her head, thinking that she was over thinking it._**

 ** _"Who are you and why are you in my dream?" She asked_** _ **after she was able to breath correctly again and pulled herself out of the dent that cradled her body.**_

 _ **The other woman looked at her as if she had just asked what color the sky was.**_

 _ **"You haven't figured it out yet? I thought we were smarter than that."**_

 _ **"We?"**_

 _ **The woman gave an exasperated sigh and muttered troublesome under her breath.**_

 _ **"Yes we. I am you. Well an older you at least, but it's obvious that we aren't the same person." She said with a sidelong glance at the Sasuke standing against the fence. The younger girl rolled her eyes, not believing for a second that that was true. This was some elaborate dream created by her subconscious and there was no truth in anything that was happening. It was impossible, there was no way that this was her future self because hello? Hadn't she ever heard of a mirror before? She looked like a forest chewed her up and spit her back out and Sakura knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would never neglect her appearance like that.**_

 _ **"Keep thinking thoughts like that and I'll make sure you never grow up." The woman growled, a vein twitching on her forehead and fist raised in warning. Sakura knew she would do it too, but one thing stopped her from running in terror.**_

 _ **"If you keep me from growing up then you won't exist either."**_

 _ **Older Sakura opened her mouth only to shut it again without saying anything, cause what could she possibly say to that? It was true after all. Sakura smirked in triumph until her eyes took on an unhealthy glow and directed her gaze to her older self.**_

 _ **"So what about Sasuke? I bet he's even more good looking in the future, isn't he? Do we go on dates with him? Don't tell me he goes for Ino- pig?! No, that would never happen." She rambled not bothering to wait for an answer, missing the way the woman's shoulders tense at the mention of his name or the darkening of her eyes as she kept going on and on about the boy. Her body shook with suppressed rage at the girl's innocent naiveté. Nothing would change unless Sakura dispelled her younger self's delusions about both the life of a ninja and about the boy she was obsessed with. Older Sakura hated being rough or harsh with children, but the fact that this child, and make no mistake she was a child no matter what she'd like to think, was her younger self somehow made it easier for her to do what needed to be done.**_

 _ **She made her way over to the fangirling preteen and flicked her right in the middle of the forehead with a minimal amount of chakra behind it. Sakura fell onto her backside, her hands immediately coming up to cover the spot that was assaulted. Tears built up in her eyes as she sat there glaring at the other woman in equal parts anger and confusion.**_

 _ **"What was that for?!" She yelled, willing herself not to cry even though it felt as if someone just took a hammer to her head.**_

 _ **Older Sakura looked down at her with a hard look in her eyes, not at all sorry for the pain she inflicted.**_

 _ **"There are some things you have to understand and one of them is that right now, you are absolutely pathetic."**_

 _ **Sakura felt as if she had just been doused in ice water. Pathetic? Sure she wasn't as strong as some, but that didn't mean she was pathetic. As if sensing her thoughts, Older Sakura decided to elaborate.**_

 _ **"Look at you. It's obvious that you care more about how you look than you do about training."**_

 _ **She was insulting her looks? What gave her the right to criticize her? Just because she didn't look like a homeless person didn't mean that she was pathetic!**_

 _ **"Just because I don't look like I'm homeless-"**_

 _ **This seemed to push the other woman over the edge because she suddenly grabbed Sakura up from the ground by the front of her dress, bringing her nose to nose with livid green eyes.**_

 _ **"Let me ask you a question. How will soft and silky hair save you when there is a sword ready to remove your head from your shoulders? Or how about when your teammate's life is on the line? How are your looks going to help them? The answer is that they aren't! It's high time you get that through your head and accept the facts. They way you are now, you are a liability to you squad and you will get them killed."**_

 _ **Tears fell from Sakura's eyes as she was yelled at by her older self and there was no way for her to stop them. Sakura had never felt fear like this before in her life and she didn't know what to do. Suddenly she was dropped back onto her behind as Older Sakura took a few steps away from her. She could hear the shaking sobs of the girl on the ground and part of her wondered if being that rough was necessary, but a larger part of her knew that it needed to be done.**_

 _ **She couldn't continue the way she was.**_

 _ **"Your blind devotion to Sasuke is also pathetic. You need to get over him as soon as possible."**_

 _ **Sakura felt something in her snap at the mention of Sasuke. How dare she say anything against him? She lifted her head from her hands and glared hatefully at the older woman's back as she got to her feet. Sakura charged at her with her fists raised, only to be thrown back by a roundhouse kick to the gut. She coughed up stomach bile and felt a boot plant itself squarely on her chest pinning her back to the ground. Older Sakura sneered down at her as she struggled to remove her foot.**_

 _ **"This is what I mean by pathetic. You jump in to defend someone who couldn't care less about you."**_

 _ **"You're wrong! He's just very reserved and cool! Now that we are on the same team I'm positive that he will love me!" She screamed as she struggled to free herself.**_

 _ **Older Sakura snorted scathingly at the girl.**_

 _ **"All that boy will ever care about is revenge and himself. There is no room for anything else and you know it, you just don't want to admit it."**_

 _ **Sakura was wailing by this time, shaking her head as if to dispel her words. It wasn't working.**_

 _ **"He will love me. I know he will." She whispered brokenly in a last ditch effort to keep that hope alive.**_

 _ **Older Sakura sighed.**_

 _ **"I didn't want it to come to this, but you have to understand. You can't make the same mistakes that I did."**_

 _ **She pressed her middle and index fingers onto Sakura's forehead, sending a pulse of chakra directly into her brain.**_

 _ **Sakura looked around to find herself in a different place than the one she was just at. Instead she was at some kind of valley and it looked as if a major battle had just taken place there. Blood splattered the stone bridge that was broken in two and there was the body of an old man with what looked like eyes implanted in his right arm to her left. Sakura felt her stomach twist in disgust when her eyes landed on a redheaded woman who was laying in a pool of what appeared to be her own blood and there was a man with black hair standing above her, lightening coating his hand.**_

 _ **Sakura knew that that was Sasuke and it was the same version of him that she had witnessed before when they were doing introductions, only he seemed to have dove further into madness at this point.**_

 _ **"Sasuke!" A feminine voice called out, making Sakura turn to take notice of the pink haired woman.**_

 _ **Even though her hair was still short, now that she was clean Sakura could tell that this woman was her older self. Her green eyes shone with absolute love for the man in front of her, but they were also filled with immense sadness at what he had become.**_

 _ **"Sakura, huh? What are you doing here? Come to bring me back to the village?" His voice was deeper than his younger self, but it still held something familiar. It was the underlying darkness in his tone that sent shivers down Sakura's spine and made her back away from him.**_

 _ **Older Sakura shook her head.**_

 _ **"I left the village, Sasuke, for you. I want to go with you and help you."**_

 _ **This made Sakura's head snap over to her counter part, eyes wide and disbelieving. Sasuke left the village?! And she left to be with him?! Did she really love him enough to betray her own village for him?**_

 _ **"Prove it. Kill this woman and you can take her place." He pointed to the redhead and Sakura watched herself nod and walk over to her, kunai held tightly in her hand.**_

 _ **"No! You can't do it!" Sakura tried to run between the two women, but a hand reached out and grabbed hold of her arm, keeping her in place. She looked up to see the dirty version of her older self, looking sadly down at her.**_

 _ **"There is nothing you can do to change this. It's my memory that I'm showing you and as such it cannot be altered."**_

 _ **Sakura ripped her arm out of the woman's grasp, whirling in her anger and disbelief.**_

 _ **"Sasuke left the village?! When-what-why?!"**_

 _ **She sighed crossing her arms over her chest.**_

 _ **"That is a story for another day. Right now you need to see this and understand the man your Sasuke will grow up to be." She turned her head to watch the two and Sakura gasped.**_

 _ **Sasuke was standing behind her older self, lightening encasing his hand, ready to strike her between the shoulder blades. The only reason he failed to kill her was because Kakashi intercepted his hand and saved her.**_

 _ **The scene faded and Sakura was back at the training grounds under Older Sakura's foot. She had stopped struggling, but the tears fell harder and faster.**_

 _ **"H-He tr-tried t-to k-k-kill me?" She whispered over and over again as if she were a broken record. Older Sakura removed her foot from her chest, pulling the girl into a sitting position.**_

 _ **"I know it's hard to accept, but it's something you needed to see. Sasuke is a monster and it's best if you cut out all feelings of love, before it's too late."**_

 _ **The younger girl looked at her through tear filled eyes.**_

 _ **"You left the village for him. You loved him that much?" She whispered looking at the ground as if it held all the answers she was looking for.**_

 _ **Older Sakura shook her head.**_

 _ **"No I didn't really. We were on a mission to find him and bring him back, but after all the thing I heard that he had done I knew that there was no redemption for him."**_

 _ **"Then why go looking for him then? What could you have possibly thought to accomplish?" Sakura was at a loss with this one. She just didn't understand what would have drove her older self to seek Sasuke out if he were the monster she said he was. Older Sakura looked at her sorrow in her eyes.**_

 _ **"I went to kill him."**_

 _ **Sakura's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Kill him? Kill Sasuke?**_

 _ **"I loved him. I loved Sasuke so much that I wanted to save him from falling further into madness and the only way I saw to do that was to kill him."**_

 _ **Sakura saw the unshed tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall and for the first time since this dream began, she saw the strength that was inside her older self. Sakura didn't think she could ever bring herself to make that decision, but apparently she can and she will.**_

 _ **Because her older self had to do it.**_

 _ **The two sat in silence until the sun peaked over the horizon, bathing everything in light and making Sakura's alarm clock ring sending the girl into the waking world.**_

Sakura opened her eyes, feeling more exhausted than ever before as she slapped her hand on the top of her alarm to quiet it's screeching. That was the weirdest dream she had ever had in her life and Sakura was completely alright with leaving it at that, but as she changed into her red dress she saw her ribs.

They were black and purple with bruising where Older Sakura had kicked her and pinned her to the ground with her foot. She stood there tracing the out line that covered the entire front of her rib cage.

It had all happened.

That dream was no dream at all, but something that really happened.

Sakura put her face into her hands and groaned.

She had a feeling that her life wasn't going to be as simple as she had always hoped it would be.

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 **Hey my lovely readers! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think of it so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey Guys! Thanks so much for all your reviews! I love getting them and seeing what you think of how the story is progressing. Please keep leaving reviews!**

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On her way to the training grounds, Sakura felt even more exhausted than she did when she went to sleep the night before. She really needed to have a chat with her older self about the importance of beauty sleep because she apparently forgot. She could just feel the dark circles under her eyes that no amount of concealer could hide and she just knew that her eyes were blood shot too.

She sighed in regret.

It was still a bit hard to believe that she spent the whole night talking and arguing with her older self, even if the bruises were there to prove it. She never would have guessed that she'd ever become capable of that kind of brutality and the fact that she was made her stomach clench in anxiety. Sakura had always tried to be as lady like as she could manage while still passing as a decent ninja. She never really wanted to stand out for being strong or anything like that, not like her other classmates. She wanted to be noticed by Sasuke, sure, but she had always focused on her looks to grab his attention. Strong women scare men and that was an absolute fact.

It was why all the notable Kunoichi were still single or died unmarried, at least that's what her mother always said.

Sakura's parents were civilians and did not understand why their daughter wished to enroll in the Ninja Academy. They had questioned her endlessly on the subject and when she revealed that it was because of a boy she saw at the park her mother seemed to visibly sag in relief. She had thought her precious daughter was interested in the dangerous life that being a ninja entailed, but to hear that she was only interested in a boy? It made her breathe easier and in the end Sakura's parents decided to go along with her "silly whim" when they enrolled her the next day. They believed it to be a silly crush and didn't expect it to last, but as the years went on Sakura became more and more attached to him. It got to the point that her parents worried that that her obsession was bordering on unhealthy, but they kept their silence and thoughts on the matter to themselves.

 _How disappointed are they that I turned out to be one of those strong types? Forget that! The real question is, how does this affect my relationship with Sasuke?!_

Sakura stopped walking as the vision she had of Sasuke trying to kill her came flooding to her mind. Is that why he did that? If so, what had she done to him to cause so much anger and spite?

 _ **Trust me it was nothing you did personally. Sasuke had always been like that to a small degree, but we were too blinded by devotion to recognize it for what it was.**_

Sakura started to turn around wildly, trying to find whoever it was that spoke to her just then. The street was empty and that left Sakura confused because she swore she heard someone answering her unasked questions.

 _ **That's because I'm inside your head you dunce. Did you forget about me already?**_

Sakura blanched at being called a dunce and scowled inwardly at the source of the voice.

 _Bite me, you freaking parasite. Besides, I thought you could only contact me when I'm asleep._

If her older self could roll her eyes, Sakura was positive she would be doing so right at that moment.

 _ **Maybe it's because we spoke face to face last night? It might have allowed me to do this now, in other words brought us closer somehow and in some way.**_

Sakura quirked her eyebrow at her theory in question.

 _All this time and this is the theory you come up with? Even for me that's too vague of an answer._

 ** _Look it's not like I have anything to use as a reference. This is the first time this jutsu has ever been used, so this is all uncharted territory._**

Sakura's eyes narrowed in thought. Uncharted territory? That would mean that this was the absolute first time this jutsu has ever been used. Who would create something like this? A sigh echoed in her head.

 _ **You really don't pay attention to much, do you? I just said that not even five minutes ago. Ino-pig and I created this jutsu out of curiosity. We wanted to see if it was possible. Obviously it is, but it didn't work as we had planned.**_

 _How was it supposed to work?_ The thought that she and Ino-pig were close enough in the future to collaborate on a jutsu left a mixture of feelings inside that Sakura didn't feel like dealing with at that moment.

 _ **Originally it was supposed to replace your consciousness with mine, but something went wrong and now I'm stuck here like a prisoner inside your head. Maybe it was because I didn't have Ino there and without her knowledge of mind transference and the human psych, everything was shot to hell.**_

The explanation made complete sense, but Sakura's mind was stuck on one fact.

 _YOU WERE PLANNING ON REPLACING ME?! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?_

Older Sakura seemed to be stunned into silence as she didn't answer right away. Seriously? Replacing her consciousness? What would happen to her? Would she no longer exist? Would she just float in a sea of nothingness-

 _ **Look it's not as bad as you are imagining-**_

 _How would you know? You said that this is the first time this jutsu has ever been used, so how can you say with any amount of certainty what would happen to the conscious you evict?_

Silence was all that answered her question.

 _ **We never really considered what would happen to the other person. This jutsu wasn't even functional when I used it. We hadn't worked out the kinks in it yet.**_

Sakura was livid at the stupidity her older self had exhibited. Who the hell casts an unfinished jutsu? Does she not know that it could have killed her horrifically?

 _ **I was already dying anyway. I had nothing to lose and nothing left to live for.**_

It was said softly and sadly, making Sakura's heart clench in pain.

Whether it was her reaction to her older self's words or her older self's actual feelings, she didn't know.

 _So, if nothing changes, I'm going to die at the age of 17._ Sakura knew when she signed on that the life of a ninja was dangerous and that those in her line of work tended to die very young, but to know that she would be one of those few made her knees weak with fear. She had never thought that she would die, after all, she always had Sasuke and even Naruto there to save her. It was stupid of her, though, to think that just because her teammates were strong, she would be exempt from dying. She was the weakest member on Squad 7 when all was said and done.

 _What's going to happen to us? You said that you were supposed to replace me. What if slowly I start to fade away and you get stronger? What if you start to fade?_

It was a question that had been plaguing her darkest thoughts since she heard the truth behind what was going on. Until she had concreate answers that eased her fears, Sakura would probably always worry that her life would end.

 _ **It's no use worrying about it right now. I came here with a mission to do and I'm not going to let something like this stop me from doing what I can. There is something bigger than you or I at stake here and if I fail...**_

 _What? What happens if you fail?_

 ** _More people die, the world falls into the hands of a madman, and the boy I vowed to save...I won't be able to save him._**

With no idea on how to respond to that kind of determination and sadness, Sakura remained silent, waiting for her older self to continue.

 _ **Either way I can't do this without your help, Sakura. It will take both of us to pull this off and so we will need to trust each other implicitly.**_

 _That's-that's a lot of pressure. There's no way I would be able to help you. I couldn't even hold my own in Academy spars, how could I be able to save the world? I'm basically useless._

Though it was the truth, Sakura felt depression hit her like a ton of bricks. She couldn't do anything right, so what was the point of trying?

 _ **Don't you dare say that Sakura Haruno! You have so much potential hidden inside of you. You just haven't had the right teacher to help bring it out.**_

 _But-_

 _ **No buts. I'm am the future you. I think I know better than anyone what you are capable of and how you can best utilize your skill set. I will help you train** **by giving you workouts to do and give you ideas.**_

Sakura groaned. She had always hated physical activity, only ever doing just enough to get by.

 _Couldn't you just transfer your-_

 ** _NO! This is something you will have to build on yourself. I can't just give you everything I worked to perfect over the years._**

Sakura pouted. Well there goes the easy way out, but at least now she knew that there was hope for her.

 _Okay I'm in. I'll do anything you need me to do._

Older Sakura smirked in her head.

 _ **Be warned. The training I'm gonna put you through is going to be absolute hell. After this point there is not quitting and absolutely no whining.**_

Sakura felt herself nod, even though the thought of absolute hell made her feel a bit sick.

 ** _First things first. This test that Kakashi is giving you, I'll give you everything you will need to pass the first time. He nearly gave me a heart attack when I went through it the first time, so you could say I'm still a bit sore about that._**

Sakura snorted into her hand at the thought of that happening to the other woman.

 ** _I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. We are the same person after all. Now listen up, you are almost to the training area. Here is what's going to happen._**

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 **Okay I know it's been awhile but here is chapter 4. I just started a new job, but I am going to be updating on Tuesdays. Please leave a review and let me know what you think!**


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